The Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Professor Amin Alhassan, has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene to clear a GH¢13.6 million legacy electricity debt, warning that the burden continues to threaten the operations of the state broadcaster.
Speaking during President Mahama’s visit to GBC, Prof. Alhassan explained that the arrears date back several years, to a period when multiple state institutions shared electricity infrastructure with GBC and were not separately metered.
According to him, when the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) later installed meters in GBC’s name, power consumption by other agencies—including the military, police and national security—was recorded under the broadcaster’s account. Those agencies subsequently disconnected and made alternative arrangements, leaving GBC saddled with unpaid bills.
“One issue that gives us sleepless nights is the legacy debt from ECG and NEDCO. These debts were not generated by GBC alone. In the past, when government agencies, including the military, police, and national security, shared power infrastructure at GBC, they drew electricity from the same source. When meters were later installed in GBC’s name, the debt started accumulating under GBC. When we drew their attention, these agencies disconnected, leaving the accumulated debt for GBC to pay,” he said.
Prof. Alhassan disclosed that GBC has already paid GH¢5 million towards the arrears this year but remains burdened by a substantial outstanding balance.
“Currently, we have paid GH¢5 million, but we still have an outstanding debt of GH¢13.6 million. We are appealing for the government to take care of this legacy debt,” he added.
Read also….
Govt to replace TV licence with public media levy
